Neville's Diary
by DraconicRogue
Summary: This story is told from Neville's POV in diary format.
1. Default Chapter

July 30, 1992

Everyone thought that I wasn't magic enough to make it into Hogwarts. Even I didn't really think I was. But my letter came this morning.

Gran realized what it was at once and decided to just go ahead and open it. I guess she thought that if it was a rejection letter she'd just throw it away to try and save me the humiliation. But it wasn't a rejection letter at all. After she read it she threw the door to my room open, which startled me awake, and shook the letter around happily announcing that I made it into Hogwarts. I think it's the only time I've ever seen her so proud of me. But for as happy as she was I think I would have preferred to read it on my own first.

We had a small party to celebrate my birthday and my getting to go to Hogwarts. It got rather embarrassing to have everyone keep coming up and offering congratulations, especially since I could tell how relieved they all were that I wasn't a squib after all. At least none of them tried telling me they knew I could do it.

August 8, 1992

Great Uncle Algie brought a present for me today. He said he was so pleased that I made it into Hogwarts he wanted to give me something special. It was a toad.

Some people say that toads went out a while back but I like them. I used to play with them in Gran's garden when I was little. Of course, those were just ordinary garden toads.

I decided to name my toad Trevor. He seems to like the name, he looks at me whenever I say it. But he doesn't seem to like it very much around here. In the first hour I had him I lost him three times! Luckily he turned up before I had to let anyone know I lost him already.

August 23, 1992

Gran and I went to Diagon Alley today to pick up my school supplies. I never thought there'd be quite so much to get. I have new school robes (all with my name inside just like the paper said), a hat that I really don't want to have to wear (I hate hats so much), a new winter cloak, protective gloves, and some new clothes. I have all of my books and all of the equipment I need. Of course the one thing I was really looking forward to, getting my own wand, never happened.

We worked our way through all of the stores and finally wound up in front of Ollivander's Wand Shop. I was so excited… _my wand_. But as I headed up the walk to the shop Gran called me back, shook her head, and told me I didn't need a wand. When I told her that of course I do, I can't do magic without a wand, she informed me that I already have a wand. My father's wand.

The way she said it told me that I shouldn't argue with her. But I didn't want to use my father's wand. Not that I don't love Dad, but I'm not him. Gran's made a point of letting me know that I'm not as good as he was. But even if that wasn't the case I don't want to be Frank Longbottom. I want to be Neville Longbottom. But, like a good boy I kept the peace and decided to take my father's wand. Maybe I'll be able to make Gran proud.

September 1, 1992

This has been some night.

I managed to no only lose Trevor this morning while I finished packing but I lost him again at the train station, again once I was on the train, and on our way to our dormitories. When we were on the train a really nice, if more than a bit bossy, girl named Hermione helped me try to find him. We weren't successful (Hagrid, the gamekeeper, found him when were getting out of the boats) but she kept trying until we covered the whole train.

In one of the compartments we met Harry Potter! Well, actually _we_ didn't meet him. Hermione started talking to him while I stayed invisible at the door. I don't know what I would have said to him anyway. I know I wouldn't want to talk about _my_ past so I can't imagine that he'd really want to talk about his.

I managed to get sorted into Gryffindor. The sorting hat took a while deciding where I should go. It was stuck between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. It decided after it said that while I'm very loyal, determined and fair that I have a hidden courage that I need to find and a strength that few possess. I'm not sure what that means but I hope I live up to it.

While I was up on the stool I was so sure the hat was going to tell me there was a mistake and I'm not magical enough to be there after all. I guess I was so relieved to have been sorted that I just kind of forgot that the hat was still on my head. I ran off wearing it. The whole school was laughing. I guess it was pretty funny.

After dinner we were shown to our dormitories. I don't know how I'm going to remember how to get up here. Staircase here, hidden panel there, go behind this tapestry, take a right at this corridor… and then the password. I hope I make it though the first week.

Trevor finally decided to show back up. I found him over by Seamus' bed. Silly toad.


	2. chapter 2

_Much thanks to Kim for beta reading this for me!_

September 4, 1992

I keep getting lost! This school is so big and everything changes without warning. How am I supposed to remember which stair vanishes? Especially when one vanishes only on Tuesdays and some vanish only if you step on it with your left foot! I'm never going to remember all of this! And to get up to Gryffindor tower… I was right that I'd get lost. I finally made it down to the Great Hall this morning without getting lost, but I wish I hadn't – class today was horrible.

Classes the rest of the week were all right, I suppose. It was a bit hard to stay up late for Astronomy since I'm used to being in bed no later than half past nine. It's an interesting class though, sadly, there's a lot to remember. History of Magic is so boring. Names and dates and dates and names and I'm sure I'll be falling asleep in that class. Charms is great though! On the first day Professor Flitwick made Trevor fly around the classroom. (Trevor didn't like it much though, he threw up flies all over the inside of my robes afterwards.) Professor McGonagall is a bit scary, she reminds me a bit of Gran, but her class seems interesting too. She turned her desk into a pig on the first day of class. We tried to change match sticks into needles but it was hard. The only one in the class who got it was Hermione. She's really smart and knows loads, which is kind of strange since she came from a muggle family. She didn't even grow up around any kind of magic and she's already best in the class. The others seem to think she's a show off but I have to admit, I'm impressed. My favorite class so far is Herbology. Professor Sprout is really nice. Her class was the only one I didn't feel completely stupid in.

The worst class though happened today, which is why I wish I didn't find my way downstairs after all. Today we had Potions with Professor Snape. There's something about him that makes me nervous. Kind of like I should remember something but I can't. Every time I try I get a headache. He's scary though. He was really horrible to Harry today too, putting him on the spot like he did and then taking points. And then he called me an idiot. I'm not an idiot! I made a mistake.

We were working on a potion to cure boils and I guess I put in the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire. At least that's what Professor Snape said. The cauldron melted and it spilled all over, mostly on me. Not only was it hot but then boils started popping up everywhere. It hurt. A lot. Seamus took me to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey took care of it in a few minutes. I was so embarrassed. Those boils were _everywhere_ and to get rid of them she had to rub a slave on them. At least she let me do the more private spots. I have a feeling I'm really going to hate Potions.

September 11, 1992

I almost wish I were back home with Gran. I seem to get into a lot less trouble there.

Yesterday Gran sent me a Rememberall which I lost in less than six hours. Fortunately, it turns out that it only fell out of my robes when I fell off that broom and Harry gave it back to me this morning.

Yesterday we had our first flying lesson. Gran had never let me on a broom before because I'm so clumsy but my clumsiness wasn't going to get me out of flying this time. Hermione had read a lot about flying and was telling us about it at breakfast, she seemed about as nervous as I was. It didn't help though. I didn't want to be the last one off the ground so I kind of pushed off before Madam Hooch blew her whistle. Of course, once I was in the air I panicked. The broom just shot up about twenty feet in the air and I don't know what happened. One minute I was telling myself to hang on and the next I was falling. Broke my wrist with that one. I don't know what was worse, the pain or the humiliation.

Of course after Madam Pomfrey mended my wrist I forgot the password to get into Gryffindor tower. I wound up falling asleep in the corridor hoping that someone would find me and let me in. I thought I was lucky when Harry, Ron, and Hermione found me but they told me the Fat Lady had gone off. I didn't want to be left alone so I decided to go with them. Ron didn't seem too happy about that.

It turns out they were going to a duel. Malfoy challenged Harry. But Malfoy never showed up, it was a trap. We ran from Filch and wound up in the Charms corridor where we ran into Peeves instead. Ron swatted at him and he yelled for Filch so we ran again. Hermione unlocked a door and we went inside to hide. I don't think I'll ever forget what I saw in there. It was a huge three-headed dog. It looked at us and seemed a bit too tired to do anything but quickly decided we should be dinner. When I finally got Harry's attention, I don't know how they didn't hear it growling, he opened the door and we all fell out.

I barely remember getting back up to Gryffindor and into bed. Harry and Ron tried talking to me about it again today, they seem to think it was a great adventure, but I don't ever want to go near that thing again.

September 15, 1992

It seems that the day I broke my wrist Malfoy tried to steal my Rememberall. Harry tried to take it back from him but Malfoy flew up high and threw it. Luckily Harry's a really good flier because he managed to save it before it smashed.

Professor McGonagall saw Harry flying and instead of expelling him like Madam Hooch threatened for anyone who flew without here there, McGonagall made him Seeker on the house Quidditch team. Professor McGonagall got him a Nimbus 2000 which arrived today at lunch. We all got to see it earlier tonight when he opened it up, it's an impressive broom. He was telling us that Malfoy found out and is so jealous. I shouldn't be happy about that, but I am. He's such a git.


End file.
